Cabe: I remember reading that same article too. It reminded me of just how I used a crashed Caddy Seville V8-6-4 to power an in-field site generator for power to build several remote microwave and satcom sites our corporation had contracted. It was winter, the sites were scattered, it was cold.

The Caddy V8-6-4 with alternator, panel insturmentation, along with a reversed flow radiator fan and flex-ducted output for job site heat and AC gererator package; all supported by the origional Seville gas tank is still in use today. The modified car alternator outputs variable DC for Bat tools. Leather seats were used in the Chevy support pickup asigned to the unit. The enclosed modified Seville frame trailer along with the Primary Power/Heater Unit houses a wireless repeater, security, camera, and job site computer systems.

It is interesting to note that the car was one of the best I ever owned as it had the free factory chip upgrade installed when I purchased it used. It got fantastic gas MPG, using regular fuel and went like a BOoH when you tromped it. I wish all my investments returned a fraction of the value this old V8-6-4 Seville still does.

GTO, if the technology is success, obliviously competitors also may look up for fuel efficiency methods. Otherwise they can’t survive in market. From customer point of view, while evaluation vehicles for purchase, power and mileage are the two main factors.

I've run Broncos and a F250 over southern CO (Wolf Creek, Engineer's, California Passes). Of course two of those are off-road, but I know how tough it can get climbing and trying to maintain speed. My Broncos both had 4:10 rears so I could pull and keep speed, but always got the same 12-14 mpg mileage everywhere I drove.

The market has really loved the extended cab trucks. I don't think I could ever go back to a single cab, so I will admit a little bias here.

Watashi, I've always owned at least one truck since 1970 and all but one was underpowered for real mountain passes like Vail or Rabbit ears. The only truck that had power to spare was an engine swapped 66 Chevy standard and it was just under 3k lbs. If you get rid of all the car like accesories, dual cabs and dump that extra 800lbs you would have a chance.

Gear ratios and and a poor power to weight ratio will not get milage and performance. Only light weight will get there. A truck can be tough without weighing 4k lbs plus.

Trucks are built to accomodate payload and provide pulling/hauling power. A lighter truck would not last very long under the stress of heavy loads. Unfortunately you have to be heavy to do heavy work.

Your mountain pass problem sounds like either an under powered truck (300hp engine rating, not at the wheel) or improper gearing. I've never had problems keeping speed in the mountains with my big engine trucks unless I had a load or saw a cop.

that's pretty good for a V-10. My wife and I are looking into alternative energy for our next truck - Dodge 3500 diesel dually. I would consider a Ford, but since '08 the 250 and 350 have been so ugly.

An interesting thing is that the US Marine Corps also has a vehicle that consumes over a gallon of diesel fuel per minute. The only other information that I can provide is that that vehicle has a diesel engine.

My point being that they use equipment most suited to a specific application, with some applications being more "interesting" and others being more "green".

I agree with what you said Watashi. I'm more interested in torque in my truck engine. My 2003 Ford F350 with 6.8L V-10 doesn't even know my 3 horse trailer is behind it. When not towing, it gets 12 MPG around town and 17.5 MPG on the open road.

But I have to drive it more. It's 10 years old with 21,000 miles on it. I'm getting tired where, every time I want to use it, I have to replace a wire or two that was chewed off by critters.

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